Most Cruisers Don’t Know These Things About Cruise Ship Crew

After doing well over 100 cruises, I thought I knew everything about life on a cruise ship. That was until a dinner hosted by a senior crew member on my last cruise, where they revealed a surprising secret about cruise ship crew that I was totally unaware of! That got me wondering what else I, and other passengers, have no idea about cruise ship crew.

After much research and talking to crew off the record, I found 6 secrets kept well hidden from us passengers that I think you will find surprising and maybe even shocking.

So, what was the revelation that triggered all this?

It was that cruise ship crew doing the same job at the same level were not paid the same. They were paid based on where they came from. So, a crew member from the USA is paid a different rate to those from the Philippines doing the same role.

So, I probed into other crew employment issues which revealed more surprises.

Getting A Job Not Straightforward

First, I found that despite most cruisers assuming everyone on a ship works for the cruise line, many do not.

Many “crew” instead are employed by and work for third-party companies that the line uses to run several facilities, including the Spa and Fitness Centre, Shops, Art Auctions, the Photo Centre, and even the Medical Centre on some ships.

This is important to know because the cruise line usually states in their contract that they are not responsible for the actions of these third-party employees, and most earn low salaries, and their earnings are very reliant on commission. Hence why all that hard sell for shopping, spa, art and photography!

But what I also had not known is that even the crew employed by the cruise line are not recruited directly by the line. They are recruited through Third-party agencies based in different countries who are contracted by the line to find and screen crew members from that country for them.

For example, Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises lists the ones they use on their career page and direct people interested in working for them those agencies, while other lines like Norwegian Cruise Line lets people apply via their careers site but then say their local country hiring partners (and I quote) “are responsible for screening and processing candidates in specific regions for potential employment on board our ships”

Cruise Job Scams

I also discovered that people wanting to work as cruise ship crew are heavily targeted by scammers, and many potential crew members lose money to them.

Scammers target potential crew with fake ads, fake profiles of senior crew like that of my friend who is a Celebrity Cruises Hotel Director claiming he’s looking for crew, and e-mails offering jobs. They then sending fictitious job offer letters, employment contracts asking for sign-on fees, uniform deposits, or advance payments for travel to the ship which they say will be refunded once on board.

My tip if looking to work on a ship is that all cruise line websites have a link at bottom of the page for their jobs or careers and to always use that way in.

Next, I think while many cruisers know that not all crew members have the same length contracts, I discovered a few things that will surprise many too.

Contracts Are Complicated!

While Senior crew like Captains, Hotel Directors, and Cruise Directors have contracts of 3-4 months on board, most crew, including deck hands, chefs, waiters, and cabin stewards, have contracts of 6-9 months.

However, everyone no matter the contract length works 7 days a week, in shifts of between 10 to 12 hours per day, and with no days off.

I discovered there are 3 reasons given for this. First, obviously to keep costs down by not having to employ additional crew to cover when others are on time off, second there is no space and cabins to accommodate more crew above the number needed on this pattern, and third crew members are recruited for a specific task and do not have skills or trained to cover other roles.

I then found that, while cruise ship crew get up to 2 months off between contracts, I discovered that this is not as good as it seems.

When they finish a contract, they are effectively unemployed until they return and are not paid during this time.

In most cases, crew know they are getting another contract when they leave a ship as well as roughly when and which ship. But it is not set in stone.

Leaving a Contract Early

I also found out that if a crew member wants to end their contract early, they need to cover all their expenses to get home. This is unless it’s due to compassionate leave such as a family member death, they need to be medically disembarked, or the company requires them to leave due to something like an unscheduled dry dock.

Once thing I also discovered talking to cruise ship crew is that many lines know that ship life is not for everyone and during a crew member’s first contract there is a 90-days probation. If their manager decides they are not suitable for the line, they will send the crew member home at the line’s expense.

Of course, if the cruise line decides a crew member must leave due to disciplinary reasons, they usually will not cover the costs to get home.

I had no idea about the next rule and had never come across it on my cruises, but every crew member I spoke to raised it.

Drugs and Alcohol

I had heard about how inexpensive drinks were in the crew bar, and of the reputation crew have for partying hard. But it is more complicated, and for a good reason.

I discovered that crew members are subject to random drug and alcohol breathalyser tests. The reason being that every crew member must be ready and capable to perform in case of an emergency.

I checked the policy of many cruise lines, and all stated clearly crew members are never allowed to be intoxicated or take any drugs.

This is an example of the policy listed on the Norwegian Cruise Line website about cruise life and rules on board. It says “You are not permitted to become inebriated or intoxicated while on your assignment contract. You are not allowed to drink alcohol while on duty. Violation of either of these rules is grounds for dismissal. We have a Zero tolerance drug policy with random testing. Drug possession, transportation and usage are causes for immediate termination”

Most lines also have a rule saying that crew members involved in watch keeping and the bridge cannot consume any alcohol four hours before a shift.

Cruise crew online creators I follow have confirmed how random drug and drink testing works.

Jay of “The Shiplife” YouTube channel says that crew, no matter rank or number of contracts, have a drug test when joining the ship and then random testing happens roughly once a month for both drug and drinks. If you fail, you get fired.

Lucy of “Cruising With Crew” speaking on the “Sail Away Magazine: Uncensored” podcast said the main reason crew get fired in ger experience was from failing drink breathalyser testing.

One thing I also discovered was what crew do, and do not, pay for.

What Crew Do (and Don’t) Pay For

I found that before joining the cruise ship crew must pay for getting a Passport along with any visas or vaccinations required, and a medical examination to confirm they are fit for service.

And although they will be supplied a uniform at no charge, most lines require crew to buy their own non-slip safety shoes for use while on duty. Norwegian says for example “Shoes are not provided, you should purchase the approved brand/style before joining or onboard the vessel”

Once on board they then must pay for Wi-Fi, with Virgin Voyages seeming to be the only line that gives crew free Wi-Fi, bottled water which is sold inexpensively though with move to refillable bottles this should go, and then of course personal items like toiletries, cigarettes, chocolates, and so on from the Crew Shop or in port.

Crew do not have to pay to get to and from the ship for most lines, their cabin which they get weekly change of towels and linen for, food in the crew mess which has many regional dishes to cater for the nationality mix, use of the laundry for personal clothes, uniform and laundry of that, and importantly medical.

Crew typically don’t have to pay for medical bills related to illnesses or injuries on board. The cruise line usually covers medical costs, including prescription medicine. However, there are exceptions, such as for pre-existing conditions.

Also, if disembarked for medical reasons, the line covers the cost of treatment.

But there are more secrets to life on board I discovered.

Life Below Deck

The crew lives in a hidden ‘ship within a ship,’ and many never leave it as very few crew members have passenger deck privileges or can use guest facilities. Typically, only Senior Crew, the entertainment team and some of the staff from concessions like the Spa or shops can use some of the passenger facilities like the buffet restaurant.

Most of the crew uses what is called the “I95,” an interior corridor low down in the ship that runs the length of the ship, to move around without entering passenger areas, and then use internal staircases off this to get up to the deck or area they work in.

In this hidden crew ship-within-a-ship are all the crew areas which include cabins, crew mess, bar, gym, and recreation area. There is also an outside area for crew to use, which on some ships is on the bow but most are on the highest deck above the passenger sun deck.

According to the website WorkingOnShips.com, roughly 85% of crew share cabins ranging from 2 to 4 people in each, and in bunk beds. Virgin Voyages has led the way to have crew having their own rooms, and the new Mega ships have more single rooms than ever.

In most cases only senior crew get their own rooms, with the Captain, of course, having the best. In some cases, like on Celebrity Edge class ships large and glitzy ones too!

Crew do not seem to get a lot of say in who their cabin mates are, though married and partnered crew can usually share.

I found a whole raft of other secrets about cruise lines as I worked on this that were not about the crew which I cover in this blog post: Cruise Line Secrets They Don’t Like Talking About